What to do if an earthquake happen during scuba diving

If you are already underwater when the earthquake starts, a more detailed procedure would be:

1. Stop and assess

   • Do not immediately ascend.

   • Signal your buddy and stay together.

   • Check that you are neutrally buoyant.

2. Look for hazards

   • If you are close to a reef wall, steep slope, cave, wreck, or overhang, move slowly into open water.

   • Watch for falling rocks, coral fragments, or clouds of sediment.

3. Protect yourself from debris

   • If debris is falling, hold your regulator securely in your mouth.

   • Protect your mask with one hand if necessary.

   • Maintain buoyancy to avoid being pushed into the bottom.

4. Monitor conditions

   • Check your depth, no-decompression status, and air supply.

   • Visibility may drop suddenly due to disturbed sand and silt.

   • Strong local currents may develop near underwater terrain.

5. Stay below the surface initially

   • Do not rush to the surface unless there is an immediate life-threatening hazard.

   • A rapid ascent creates a greater risk of lung overexpansion injury or decompression sickness than the earthquake itself.

6. End the dive conservatively

   • Once the shaking stops and conditions permit, begin a controlled ascent with your buddy.

   • Follow your normal ascent rate.

   • Complete a safety stop if conditions allow and your air supply is adequate.

7. After surfacing

   • Inflate your BCD and establish positive buoyancy.

   • Look for your boat and listen for instructions.

   • If the earthquake was strong or lasted a long time, assume there could be a tsunami risk.

   • Follow the boat crew's emergency procedures immediately.

Special situations

Cave diving

• Stay calm and maintain contact with the guideline.

• Expect silt-outs from disturbed sediment.

• Exit using standard lost-visibility procedures if necessary.

Wreck diving

• Watch for falling rust, plates, cables, and interior collapses.

• Consider terminating the dive immediately and exiting the wreck.

Deep diving

• Be especially careful not to violate decompression obligations.

• An uncontrolled ascent can be more dangerous than remaining underwater during the quake.

For dive leaders and instructors

A practical SSI-style briefing point is:

"If we feel shaking or hear unusual rumbling underwater, stay with your buddy, move away from overhead environments and unstable structures, maintain buoyancy, and end the dive with a normal controlled ascent. Do not make a rapid ascent solely because of the earthquake."

HOW IS  SCHEDULED SSI INSTRUCTOR EXAMINATION 2026 IN BALI

EXAM  INSTRUCTOR EXAMINATION OR IE

OVER 2 DAYS

è The assignment include:

è 1. Class presentation / can be on owc / nitrox/sod/ dive guide/ rescue

è 2. pool presentation 1 skill with demo with briefing  finding mistakes debriefing 2 students

è 3. sea presentation 2 skills no demo  with briefing  finding mistakes debriefing 2 students

è 4. rescue exercice / unresponsive diver uw à bring up à surface procedure à tow back à exit water

è 5.  3 skills  from skill circuit

è  

DAY 1

11h00 Am onward

Welcome & Introduction

                                 Hand out Evaluation Topic Sheet. assigment

                                 50 Questions Theory & Standard Exam (1.5 hours)

                                 Lunch Break (1 hour) + prep for pool/confined water session

 

                                 1 (One) Skill Pool / Confined Water Presentation

                                 3 (Three) Skills Circuit Evaluation in Pool / Confined Water

                                 1 (One) Rescue Skill Evaluation

 

Go back home and prepare classroom + sea presentation for next day

 

DAY 2    à SEA 

8:30 AM- onward

               2 (two) Skills Open Water Presentation

                     1 Academic Teaching Presentation (12-15Min)

                     Lunch Break (1h)

                     Education System Evaluation (20-30Min)  

               Professional Evaluation (optional)

               Performance Review

               Graduation & Closing

THEN YOU ARE CERTIFIED AS AN SSI OPEN WATER INSTRUCTOR

 

Scuba Diving and Pregnancy

The current medical and diving recommendation is clear: pregnant women should not scuba dive at any stage of pregnancy. (Divers Alert Network)

Why is scuba diving not recommended?

• During a dive, nitrogen dissolves into the body tissues.
• During ascent, tiny gas bubbles can form.
• An adult's lungs can usually filter these bubbles, but a fetus does not have functioning lungs to filter gas bubbles because oxygen comes through the placenta.
• There is a theoretical risk of:
• Fetal decompression sickness
• Gas embolism
• Birth defects
• Miscarriage or fetal injury

What if a woman dived before knowing she was pregnant?

This happens quite often. Available human studies have not shown a consistent pattern of severe problems, and accidental diving early in pregnancy is generally not considered a reason to terminate a pregnancy. However, the woman should stop diving once pregnancy is suspected or confirmed and discuss the exposure with her doctor.

Can pregnant women snorkel?

Surface snorkeling, swimming, and other low-risk water activities are generally considered safer alternatives, provided the pregnancy is uncomplicated and the woman's doctor approves.

Diving organization guidance

Organizations such as the Divers Alert Network (DAN) advise women to avoid scuba diving during pregnancy and when pregnancy is suspected.

 What is oxygen toxicity in scuba diving and how to avoid it...

Oxygen toxicity in scuba diving happens when a diver breathes oxygen at a high partial pressure (PPO₂) for too long.

Although oxygen is essential for life, under pressure underwater it can become toxic to the body, especially the brain (CNS toxicity) and lungs (pulmonary toxicity).

Why it happens

As depth increases, gas pressure increases.
Even normal air (21% oxygen) becomes “stronger” under pressure.

Example:

• At the surface: PPO₂ of air = 0.21 ATA

• At 30 m / 100 ft: PPO₂ of air ≈ 0.84 ATA

• With enriched air nitrox (EAN32 or EAN36), PPO₂ rises faster.

Most recreational agencies limit:

• Working PPO₂: 1.4 ATA

• Maximum contingency PPO₂: 1.6 ATA

---

Types of Oxygen Toxicity

1. CNS Oxygen Toxicity (Central Nervous System)

This is the dangerous one for divers because it can cause sudden convulsions underwater.

Symptoms

Remember the acronym VENTID-C:

• Vision changes (tunnel vision)

• Ears ringing

• Nausea

• Twitching (especially lips)

• Irritability

• Dizziness

• Convulsions

A seizure underwater can lead to drowning if the regulator is lost.

Main causes

• Exceeding maximum depth for the gas

• High PPO₂

• Long exposure

• Stress, fatigue, cold, CO₂ buildup

---

2. Pulmonary Oxygen Toxicity

Usually affects technical divers or hyperbaric treatments after very long oxygen exposure.

Symptoms

• Chest burning

• Coughing

• Difficulty breathing

Rare in recreational diving.

---

Nitrox and Oxygen Toxicity

With EAN32 (32% oxygen):

• MOD at PPO₂ 1.4 = about 33 m / 110 ft

• MOD at PPO₂ 1.6 = about 40 m / 132 ft

With EAN36:

• MOD at PPO₂ 1.4 = about 28 m / 95 ft

This is why nitrox divers must always analyze tanks and respect MODs.

---

How to Avoid Oxygen Toxicity

1. Stay within MOD (Maximum Operating Depth)

Never exceed the depth limit for your gas mix.

Formula:
[
MOD = \left(\frac{PPO₂}{FO₂} -1\right)\times10
]
(metric)

---

2. Monitor PPO₂

Modern dive computers display PPO₂ during nitrox dives.

Keep:

• Preferred ≤ 1.4 ATA

• Emergency max ≤ 1.6 ATA

---

3. Avoid CO₂ buildup

High carbon dioxide increases risk dramatically.

Avoid:

• Skip breathing

• Overexertion

• Poor buoyancy causing hard swimming

---

4. Limit exposure time

Even acceptable PPO₂ becomes risky over long periods.

Technical divers track:

• CNS %

• OTUs (oxygen tolerance units)

---

5. Analyze your gas

Always personally verify:

• Oxygen percentage

• MOD

• Computer settings

---

6. Stay calm and rested

Fatigue, stress, dehydration, and cold may increase susceptibility.

---

What to Do if Symptoms Appear

If twitching, dizziness, or visual disturbances occur:

1. Ascend slightly to reduce PPO₂

2. Stop exertion

3. Signal your buddy

4. End the dive safely

If a diver convulses underwater:

• Keep regulator in mouth if possible

• Do not ascend immediately during active seizure

• Wait until convulsions stop

• Then perform controlled ascent

---

Recreational Diving Reality

For normal recreational diving:

• Air diving rarely reaches dangerous PPO₂ levels

• Oxygen toxicity risk mainly appears with:

  • Nitrox

  • Deep diving

  • Technical diving

  • Rebreathers

That’s why proper nitrox training is important before using enriched air.

 

🌊 Why 30 meters is a common recommended depth

At 30 m, the pressure is about:

P \approx 4\ \text{ATA at 30 m}

That means:

• You breathe air compressed to 4 times surface pressure.
• Your tank empties much faster.
• Nitrogen absorption increases significantly.

This depth is deep enough to:

• See wrecks and walls
• Experience “deep diving”
• Still stay within recreational limits for trained divers

Many agencies like PADI and SSI use 30 m as a key training depth before the absolute recreational maximum of 40 m.

---

✅ Benefits of diving around 30 m

🐠 Access to deeper sites

Many famous:

• wrecks
• drop-offs
• caves entrances
• pelagic fish zones

are around 25–30 m.

---

🌈 Often clearer water

Deeper water can have:

• less wave movement
• less sediment
• better visibility

especially in tropical places like Bali.

---

🤿 Advanced diving experience

At 30 m you learn:

• buoyancy precision
• gas management
• narcosis awareness
• discipline and planning

It’s where diving becomes more technical mentally.

---

🐟 Different marine life

Some species prefer deeper zones:

• reef sharks
• large trevallies
• barracudas
• deep reef fish

---

❌ Negative aspects / risks

😵 Nitrogen narcosis

At 30 m many divers begin feeling:

• slower thinking
• overconfidence
• poor judgment
• tunnel vision

Like being mildly drunk underwater.

---

⏱️ Much shorter bottom time

No-decompression limits become short.

Approximate NDL on air:

• 18 m → ~56 min
• 30 m → ~20 min

So dives are shorter.

---

🫁 Faster air consumption

Because pressure is 4 ATA:

\text{Air consumption at 30 m} \approx 4 \times \text{surface rate}

A diver who breathes:

• 15 L/min at surface
  may use:
• ~60 L/min at 30 m.

This surprises many new deep divers.

---

🚑 Increased decompression sickness risk

More nitrogen enters tissues faster.
Ascents must be:

• controlled
• slow
• with safety stops

---

🌑 Less light and color

Red disappears first underwater.
At 30 m:

• colors look blue/green
• less natural brightness

---

😰 Harder emergency management

Problems become more serious:

• out of air
• panic
• entanglement
• rapid ascent

Everything is less forgiving deep down.

---

⚖️ Why not recommend deeper for everyone?

Beyond 30–40 m:

• narcosis increases strongly
• air becomes inefficient
• decompression obligations become significant
• oxygen toxicity starts becoming a concern on some gas mixes

That’s why deeper diving usually transitions toward:

• technical diving
• special gas mixes
• decompression procedures
• redundant equipment

---

🧭 In practice

For many experienced recreational divers:

• 18–24 m = comfortable fun zone
• 30 m = “deep dive” (in diving more than 18 meters is consider deep dive )
• 40 m+ = serious diving requiring much more training

30 m is basically the point where diving is still recreational, but the risks start increasing quickly.

🌊 Adding Nitrox 32% (EAN32) to the discussion

EAN32 Nitrox — often called Nitrox 32% — changes some of the advantages and limitations of a 30 m dive.

Normal air contains about:

• 21% oxygen

• 79% nitrogen

EAN32 contains:

• 32% oxygen

• 68% nitrogen

So you breathe less nitrogen, which is the key benefit.

---

✅ Benefits of Nitrox 32% at 30 m

⏱️ Longer no-decompression limits

Because you absorb less nitrogen, your NDL increases.

Approximate comparison at 30 m:

• Air → ~20 min

• EAN32 → ~30 min

That is a major advantage for:

• photographers

• instructors

• repetitive diving

• liveaboards

---

😌 Reduced nitrogen loading

Many divers report:

• feeling less tired after dives

• less “foggy”

• better recovery during repetitive diving days

Scientifically, the reduced nitrogen exposure is real.

---

🔁 Better repetitive diving

Nitrox is especially useful in places like Bali where divers may do:

• 3–4 dives/day

• several days in a row

Less nitrogen accumulation means:

• shorter surface intervals

• more conservative profiles

---

❌ Limitations and risks of Nitrox 32%

☠️ Oxygen toxicity becomes important

Higher oxygen means deeper depth limits.

For EAN32, the commonly accepted maximum operating depth (MOD) at 1.4 PPO₂ is:

\text{MOD}_{EAN32} \approx 33\ \text{m at } PPO_2 = 1.4

That means:

• 30 m is close to the safe recreational limit

• going deeper accidentally becomes more dangerous

---

🚫 Not a “deep diving gas”

Many beginners mistakenly think:

“Nitrox lets me dive deeper.”

Actually:

• Nitrox is mainly for longer and safer shallow-to-mid-depth dives

• Deep technical diving often uses Trimix, not Nitrox

---

🔥 CNS oxygen exposure

Long or repetitive Nitrox dives increase:

• Central Nervous System (CNS) oxygen exposure

Too much oxygen exposure can cause:

• convulsions underwater

• loss of consciousness

Though rare in recreational diving, it is taken very seriously.

---

📋 Requires training and analysis

Divers must:

• analyze the tank

• confirm oxygen percentage

• set their dive computer correctly

• respect MOD

That’s why agencies like SSI and PADI require a Nitrox certification.

---

⚖️ In summary

Air at 30 m

✅ Simple
✅ Larger depth margin
❌ Shorter bottom time
❌ More nitrogen loading

Nitrox 32% at 30 m

✅ Longer NDL
✅ Less nitrogen
✅ Better repetitive diving
❌ Closer to oxygen limits
❌ Requires stricter depth control

---

For many experienced recreational divers, EAN32 is ideal for dives between 18–30 m, especially on dive trips with many repetitive dives.

at ocean dreams Pemuteran we offer advanced open water and nitrox certifications

contact us @ info@oceandreams.asia

 

Life Beneath the Surface: The Pros and Cons of Being a Scuba Diving Instructor 4/4

Is It Worth It?

The answer depends almost entirely on what you value. If you prioritize financial security, career advancement in a conventional sense, or stability, then a full-time career as a scuba instructor may leave you frustrated. But if you value freedom, daily immersion in nature, meaningful connection with people, and a life lived far outside the ordinary, it can be one of the most fulfilling careers imaginable.

For some, it becomes a lifelong calling. For most of us, it’s a chapter, a way to explore the world, grow personally, and then move on. Either way, it’s a profession that leaves a lasting mark.

The instructors who thrive tend to be those who approach the job with clear eyes: they love diving deeply, manage money wisely, seek variety to stay inspired, and understand that the extraordinary setting of their work is itself a form of compensation that doesn’t appear on a payslip. It is a career for those who value experiences over possessions and find genuine joy in the success of others.

 

Life Beneath the Surface: The Pros and Cons of Being a Scuba Diving Instructor 3/4

The Cons

The reality is far from a permanent holiday. One of the biggest downsides is financial instability and sometimes, even outright exploitation of your willingness to work in paradisiacal locations. In most parts of the world, diving instructors earn modest wages, often dependent on seasons, tourism fluctuations, and tips. Holidays are rare to say the least, and during high season, often there are not even days off. Long-term financial planning can be difficult, especially without a consistent income.

1. The Pay Is Often Modest

This is perhaps the most sobering reality of the profession. Outside of a handful of premium resorts or owner-operated dive centers, scuba instructors are rarely well-compensated. Many entry-level positions include accommodation and meals instead of a strong salary, and pay can vary dramatically depending on location, season, and employer. Building financial security requires deliberate effort and often side income.

Moreover, what’s rarely talked about is the cost of getting there and staying there. Gear investment, equipment maintenance, annual active-status fees, and ongoing certifications can add up to thousands of dollars, before you’ve even earned a single day’s wage.

2. Seasonal and Inconsistent Income

Most dive destinations have an off-season where business dries up almost entirely. Instructors who don’t plan ahead can find themselves with very little work and income for months at a time. In most locations, income is mostly commission-based with no fixed salary. Managing finances around a seasonal schedule requires discipline, savings, and sometimes supplementary employment in the quieter months. Relocating adds another layer of complexity: there is always an immigration issue to get a working permit or a pertinent visa, which process is rarely straightforward or cheap.

3. The Work Is Physically Demanding

The same physical activity that keeps you fit can also wear you down. Repeatedly hauling tanks, helping students with heavy gear, entering and exiting the water multiple times a day, and working in strong currents or cold water takes a toll on the body over time. Ear problems and joint stress are occupational hazards that instructors manage throughout their careers. Add long working hours and scarce days off, and burnout becomes less a risk than an inevitability.

4. Responsibility and Risk Are Constant

Scuba diving carries real risk, and as an instructor, you are legally, professionally, and ethically responsible for your students’ safety. The psychological weight of that responsibility is significant. While accidents are relatively rare with proper training, they do happen, and the possibility of something going wrong in the water is something every instructor lives with. This can lead to high stress levels, especially when managing large groups or difficult conditions.

5. Repetition Can Erode Passion

Teaching the same beginner course week after week, year after year, can become monotonous. The novelty of explaining buoyancy control or mask-clearing for the hundredth time fades. Instructors who don’t actively seek new challenges can find themselves burned out or disenchanted with the work that once thrilled them.

6. Career Instability and Lack of Benefits

Most diving jobs are contract or freelance positions. That means no paid sick leave, no pension contributions, health insurance that you have to pay yourself, and no job security in the traditional sense. Building long-term stability often requires either running your own. Additionally, the lifestyle that seems exciting at first can become exhausting. Constant travel, temporary contracts, and a lack of long-term stability can make it difficult to build lasting relationships or a sense of home. What begins as freedom can sometimes turn into a lack of grounding.